By John Carnell & Andy Lanning (Marvel UK)
ISBN: 1-85400-242-2
I first reviewed this as a mini-series for the excellent Slings & Arrows Comic Guide a few years back and I didn’t have a awful lot of good things to say about it then, but it came up in conversation recently and someone whose opinion I respect (not a full-on comics fan) reckoned it a “not bad read†so I thought I’d give it another look in the context of a broader audience.
In the future, El Ape and Deadbeat Sleeze are doing their very best – which is very bad – to make a living as private detectives. But this useless pair of futuristic gumshoes are in trouble with Police Sergeant Pigheadski as often as from such scurrilous rogues as The Reverend Smiler While, Orsum Wurlds, J. Edgar Hairdryer, Marilyn Blondeclone and the truly repugnant Bwokenpotee and Andrexia of the subterranean Aarsouls faith.
Aimed at a mature audience (and I’m saying a big nothing here) this pastiche blends sci-fi sagas and the seminal movie The Blues Brothers to capture the very worst of British humour but at least manages to recycle many of the universe’s oldest jokes one last time – hopefully.
Originally released as six issue miniseries from Marvel’s Epic imprint this volume contains extra story material although I can’t imagine why, since my now reconsidered opinion is that it’s ‘Still Rubbish – But Some People Might Like It’.
It takes all sorts I suppose…
© 1990 John Carnell & Andy Lanning. All Rights Reserved.